Floor rack



E. C. JAHN July 15, 1952 FLOOR RACK 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 24, 1950In/nian [hr/12176.2 19m.

9 I I j/Zor /y July 15, 1952 E. c. JAHN 2,603,169

. FLOOR RACK Filed Jan. 24, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Iz/rzior Emeii 72/.

E. c. JAHN FLOOR RACK July 15, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan; 24, 1950'll'lll 7 j 1 F iii 38 -IIIII'IIIIII/ firruif ll'akw.

Patented July 15, 1952 FLOOR RACK Emmett C. Jahn, Chicago, Ill.,assignor to Union Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, 111., acorporation of South Dakota Application January 24, 1950, Serial No.140,313 3 Claims. (01. 105-375) My invention relates to floor racks forrailway cars and more particularly to that type which is employed inrefrigerator cars to sustain the lading for cooling or warming by thecirculating medium of the car.

It is one object of my invention to provide an all-metallic floor rackwhich constitutes a permanent fixture in the car, which can be readilycleaned and which is preferably made in individual sections that arehinged to and foldable against the side of the car to facilitatecleaning of the latter.

A further object is to provide a rack composed of sheet metal stringersand slats having specially designed sections to obtain maximum strengthwith lightness of weight and which are appropriately perforated andspaced to obtain free circulation of the car atmosphere.

A further object is to provide a rack which is reinforced in such amanner that the height of the rack can be reduced relative to existingracks to thereby increase the loading capacity of the car.

A further object is to provide for floor racks simple and inexpensivehinge constructions that are characterized by ample strength towithstand the severities of freight service. 7

These and further objects of the invention will be set forth in thefollowing specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and the novel means by which said objects are eiiectuated willbe definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic, transverse, sectional elevation of a typicalrefrigerator car equipped with overhead, icing bunkers showing therelation of my improved rack thereto and to the flues which extenddownwardly along the side walls of the car.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the floor of a refrigerator car,showing the general relation of the rack units, including those oppositethe door opening.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in section, showing the lower lefthand corner of the car and rack as viewed in Fig. 1, and illustratingthe relation of the side wall flue to the spaces between the floorstringers which lie transversely of the car floor and the openings inthe stringers which provide communication between these spaces.

Fig. 4 is a section along the line 4-4 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is'an enlarged plan view of one of the racks looking in thedirection of the arrow 5 in Fig. 4, the hinges being omitted.

Figs. 6 and '7 are enlarged, sectional elevations of the racktaken'along the lines 66 and 1-4 in Figs. 3 and 6, respectively.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the floor stringers.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, sectional elevation showing the hingeconstruction for those rack units which are pivoted to the lining of thecar.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section along the line Hll0 in Fig. 2 showing thehinge structure for the door rack units.

Fig. 11 is a section along the line Il--ll in Fig. 10.

Referring to Fig. l, the numeral I0 designates a transverse section of arefrigerator car equipped with overhead icing baskets I l and side wallfiues l2 which conduct the cool air downwardly beneath the floor rackunits 13 that sustain a lading A plurality of rack units I5 rest on thecar floor between the ends of the car and the door openings' IS inadjacent and symmetrical relation on opposite sides of the longitudinalcenter line of the car, but with sufiicient clearance between theseveral units so that they may be freely moved independently of eachother. Each unit l5 is connected to the inside lining H by hingesgenerally indicated by the numeral [8 in Fig. 2.. Opposite the dooropening it and on both sides of the car center line is a pair of doorrack units 19, each'of which is connected to an adjacent unit l5 byhinges generally indicated by the numeral As indicated in Figs. 3, 4 and6, each rack l5 comprises a plurality of floor stringers 2| whichextend'transversely of the car, the bottom of each stringer taperinggradually from the car center line towards the lining H foraccommodation to the floor which is sloped for drainage, but the tops ofthe stringers are horizontal. Thestringer 2| is formed as an open topchannel having a base web 22 which rests on the floor 23 of the car andupwardly and'outwardly extending side walls 24 whose upper edges areoutwardly flanged as The stringers are spaced lengthwise of entlydescribed, is slotted at 28 vertically downward from the top thereof fora predetermined distance, these slots being spaced along the length ofthe stringer, one being spaced from each end and the remainder beingarranged in two groups of two, the groups being spaced as are also theslots in each group. This arrangement is suggestive only.

The vertical leg 29 of an angle 30, constituting a slat stringer, ismounted in each slot 28 and welded to the side wall 24 with itshorizontal leg 3| resting on the flanges 25. Accordingly, the angles orslat stringers are supported on and transversely disposed with referenceto the floor stringers 2 I i. e., the former extend longitudinally ofthe car and for the length of the associated rack unit. At the ends ofthe floor stringer, like slat stringers 32 have their vertical legsabutting and welded to the indicated ends with their horizontal legsresting on the flanges 25. The spacing of each slat stringer 32 fromthat slat stringer 30 which is mounted in the nearest slot 28 is equalto the spacing of the slat stringers 30 in the grouped slots 28. Asillustrated in Figs. 3, and 7, the facing edges of the horizontal legsof all the slat stringers are spaced from each other to facilitatecirculation of air through the rack.

A plurality of spaced slats extend transversely of the car and aresupported on the horizontal legs of the slat stringers 38 and 32. Eachof the slats 33 is formed as in inverted channel having a supportingweb'34 (see Fig. 3) on which the lading rests and downwardly andoutwardly extending side walls or flanges 35 whose lower edges areoutwardly reflanged above the slat stringers as at 35, the flanges 33bearing on and being welded to the horizontal legs of the slat stringersand 32 and the edges of adjacent flanges abutting as indicated at 31 inFig. 6. To strengthen the slats by increasing their vertical sectionbetween the'slat stringers, the slat side walls 35 are continued belowthe horizontal legs of the slat stringers, as indicated by the numeral i38 in Figs. 3, 6 and 7.

Each slat 33 is provided with a longitudinal, open top duct 39 which isformed by oifsetting the central portion of the web 34 and at spacedintervals along this duct, the bottom thereof is apertured at 45. Sincethe duct 39 is open ended, free circulation of the conditioning mediumis assured therethrough, through the apertures 40, and through theopenings 4! (see Fig. 5) between the downward extensions 33 of the slatside walls 35 which lie between the slat stringers 30.

The hinge connection l8 for each rack unit I5, referred to above, ismore particularly illustrated in Fig. 9 to which reference will now bemade. A pair of spaced brackets 42 are fastened to the inside lining ata convenient distance above the floor of the car, each bracket includingspaced wings 4343 between which is bridged a pin 44. Each bracket 42 isaligned with a floor stringer 2i and the side walls 24 of thisparticular fioor stringer are cut away at 45 to accommodate theremainder of the hinge. A U-shaped strap 46 has its wings 41 and 48welded to the vertical legs of the nearest slat stringers 3D and 32,respectively, and the wing 48 is extended upwardly around the pin 44 anddownwardly to form the wing 49. The wings 48 and 49 are bridged by abolt 50 and the ends of the adjacent slat 33 is cut away to clear thebracket 42. Those floor stringers 2| which are opposite the hingebrackets 42 are, identical with the other floor stringers with theexception of the cut away portion 45 and the elimination of that slot 28which is nearest the bracket 42. Hence, the rack units [5 may be swungto the dotted position shown in Fig. 3 and secured by a suitable latch(not shown) when the car carries a lading which does not require theracks.

The door rack units l9 are constructed in the same manner as the racksl5 except that the former is smaller, the slat stringers being shorterand there being a smaller number of floor stringers and slats. Theoutermost floor stringer 21 of that rack l5 which is nearest the doorhas welded to its side wall 24 a vertical strap 5| (see Figs. 10 and 11)whose lower end is bent to form an eye 52 and a similar strap 53 havinga like eye 54 is welded to the side wall of the adjacent floor stringer55 of the door region floor rack I9.

Pins 55 and 5'! are journaled in the eyes 52 and 54, respectively, andthe ends of the pins are connected by links 53-58. Accordingly, afterthe rack l5 adjacent the door opening has been swung to the dottedposition shown in Fig. 3, the connected door region floor rack 19 maythen be moved to lie inwardly of and against the rack l5 and secured inany approved manner.

Preferably, the stringers and slats are made of sheet metal ofappropriate gauge which is galvanized to prevent corrosion of the racks.Rigidity of the rack as a whole is insured by the meth 0d of seciningthe stringers and slats together and by abutting the edges of theflanges 35 of adjacent slats, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6.Moreover, the provision of tapering the side walls of the slats andfloor stringers, as well as extending the side walls of the slats belowthe slat stringers, provides for the required strength of these elementsof the racks, while at the same time permitting the use of a relativelylight gauge metal. Further, the slotting of the floor stringers toreceive the slat stringers not only laterally strengthens the floorstringers, but lowers the overall height of the rack and thus increasesthe lading capacity of the car.

Due to its rigid construction and strength, my improvedrack is capableof withstanding bufiing and switching shocks while loaded so thatcomplete air circulation in the car is assured during transit.

I claim:

1. A floor rack for a refrigerator car for supporting a lading in spacedrelation to the car floor to provide a flue therebetween comprising aplurality of spaced, channel, floor stringers, each stringer havingflanges extending lat/orally from the upwardly projecting side wallsthereof and a plurality of slots arranged in related, spaced pairsextending downwardly from the top of the floor stringer and terminatingshort of the bottom thereof, a plurality of angle slat stringersarranged in related spaced pairs disposed transversely of and secured tothe floor stringers, one leg of each slat stringer fitting in one of theslots and the other leg resting on the floor stringer flanges, and aplurality of spaced, inverted channel slats disposed transversely of theslat stringers and having laterally extending flanges resting on andsecured to said other slat stringer legs.

2. A floor rack for a refrigerator car for supporting a lading in spacedrelation to the car floorto provide a flue therebetween comprising aplurality of spaced, channel, floor stringers, each stringer havingflanges extending laterally from the upwardly projecting side wallsthereof and a plurality of slots arranged in related, spaced pairsextending downwardly from the top of the floor stringer and terminatingshort of the bottom thereof, a plurality of angle slat stringers arlegof each slat stringer fitting in one of the slots and the other legresting on the floor stringer flanges, and a plurality of spaced,inverted, channel slats disposed transversely of the slat stringers, theside walls of each slat extending downwardly below the uppermost partsof and between wardly below the uppermost parts of and between the slatstringers to increase and vertically strengthen the slat section, theportions of eachslat above the slat stringers having a reduced verticalsection created by fianging the slat side walls for attachment to saidother slat stringer legs.

3. A floor rack for a refrigerator car for supporting a lading in spacedrelation to the car floor to provide a flue therebetween comprising aplurality of spaced, channel, floor stringers, each stringer havingflanges extending laterally from the upwardly projecting side wallsthereof and a plurality of slots arranged in related, spaced pairsextending downwardly from the top of the'floor stringer and terminatingshort of the bottom thereof, a plurality of angle slat stringersarranged in related, spaced pairs disposed transversely of and securedto the floor stringers, one

the slat stringers to increase and vertically strengthen the slatsection, the portions of each slat above the slat stringers having areduced vertical section created by refianges on the slat side wallswhich rest upon and are secured to said other slat stringers legs inabutting relation only substantially above the slat stringers with therefianges of the adjacent slats.

EMMETT C. JAHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,831,810 Jones Nov. 17, 1931.2,226,042 Zane Dec. 24, 1940 2,278,354 Johnston Mar. 31, 1942 2,279,545Zane Apr. 14, 1942

